Anthurium plant named ‘Misty Rose’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named ‘Misty Rose’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; glossy dark green-colored leaves; flat, cordate and pink-colored spathes; inflorescences that are positioned among and above the foliage on strong and erect scapes; and excellent inflorescence longevity with spathes maintaining pink coloration for at least eight weeks.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Anthurium hybrid cultivarMisty Rose.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAnthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium hybrid, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Misty Rose’.

The new Anthurium is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Apopka, Fla. The objective of the breeding program isto create new Anthurium cultivars with a rapid growth rate, darkgreen-colored foliage and uniform flowering habit.

The new Anthurium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Apopka, Fla. on Apr. 23, 1997, of the Anthurium hybridcultivar Pura Vida Red, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,080, as thefemale, or seed, parent with the Anthurium hybrid cultivar Cotton Candy,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,819, as the male, or pollen, parent.The cultivar Misty Rose was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Apopka, Fla., on May 11, 2000.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by meristem culture in acontrolled environment in Sebring, Fla., since July, 1997, has shownthat the unique features of this new Anthurium plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualpropagation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Anthurium has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of the cultivar Misty Rose. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Misty Rose’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Anthurium:

1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; relatively intermediatein size.

2. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.

3. Flat, cordate and pink-colored spathes.

4. Inflorescences that are positioned among and above the foliage onstrong and erect scapes.

5. Excellent inflorescence longevity with spathes maintaining pinkcoloration for at least eight weeks.

Plants of the new Anthurium are most similar to plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Cotton Candy. In side-by-side comparisons conductedin Homestead, Fla., plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants ofthe cultivar Cotton Candy in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anthurium were taller and more upright than plantsof the cultivar Cotton Candy.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Anthurium were larger than leaves ofplants of the cultivar Cotton Candy.

3. Leaf petioles and scapes of plants of the new Anthurium were flushedwith bronze whereas leaf petioles and scapes of plants of the cultivarCotton Candy were green in color.

4. Spathes of plants of the new Anthurium were larger and darker pink incolor than spathes of plants of the cultivar Cotton Candy.

Plants of the new Anthurium can also be compared to plant of the femaleparent, the cultivar Pura Vida Red. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Homestead, Fla., plants of the new Anthurium differed fromplants of the cultivar Pura Vida Red in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anthurium were more durable and better suited tocommercial production than plants of the cultivar Pura Vida Red.

2. Spathes of plants of the new Anthurium were pink in color whereasspathes of plants of the cultivar Pura Vida Red were dark red in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Anthurium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Anthurium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical 14 month old flowering plant of the cultivar Misty Rose grown ina 20-cm container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations and measurements describe 14-month old plantsgrown in 20-cm containers in Homestead, Fla., in a polypropylene-coveredshadehouse with day temperatures of 21 to 32° C., night temperatures of18 to 24° C., and light levels about 1,500 foot-candles.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Anthurium hybrid cultivar Misty Rose.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.—Anthurium hybrid Pura Vida Red, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,080.

Male, or pollen, parent.—Anthurium hybrid Cotton Candy, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,819.

Propagation:

Type.—Asexual; by meristem culture.

Time to initiate roots on a meristem-cultured plant.—About 10 to 12 daysat day temperatures of 21 to 32° C. and night temperatures of 18 to 24°C.

Time to develop roots on a meristem-cultured plant.—About 147 days atday temperatures of 21 to 32° C. and night temperatures of 18 to 24° C.

Root description.—White-colored thick fleshy roots with fine lateralroots; root tip, 183C in color.

Plant description:

Plant shape.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit, invertedtriangle, symmetrical; relatively intermediate in size.

Growth habit.—Freely clumping, bushy and dense growth habit.

Plant height, soil level to top of leaf canopy.—About 46 to 53 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 55 to 65 cm.

Foliage description.—Length: About 17 to 21 cm. Width: About 12 to 17.5cm. Shape: Deltoid to somewhat cordate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncateto somewhat cordate. Margin: Entire; somewhat undulate. Texture, upperand lower surfaces: Leathery; glabrous. Luster, upper and lowersurfaces: Glossy. Aspect: Flat or slightly convex between the veins onthe upper surface. Venation: Midvein with well-defined primary veinsradiating out from the petiole junction. Midvein protrudes from theupper surface for about 75% of the leaf length. Primary veins protrudeon the lower surface. There are about four to six primary veins perleaf. Petiole: Length: About 24 to 31 cm. Diameter, just below thegeniculum: About 5 mm. Geniculum: Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About5.5 mm. Orientation: Typically curved. Petiole sheath: Length: About 3cm. Width, at midpoint: About 5 mm. Apex: Rounded. Cataphyll: New leavesemerge from a cataphyll which turns brown with subsequent developmentand eventually abscises. Length: 10 to 14 cm. Width, at base: About 2.5cm. Shape: Triangular. Apex: Acute, apiculate. Margin: Entire. Texture,upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color: Developing leaves, uppersurface: 147A, flushed with 166A. Developing leaves, lower surface: 147Bto 147C, flushed with 166A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface:Closest to, but greener than 139A. Lower leaf surface: 146B. Midrib,developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: 146C. Midrib, fullyexpanded leaves, upper surface: 146B. Midrib, fully expanded leaves,lower surface: 145A. Petiole: 146B, flushed with 183B. Geniculum: 146B,flushed with 183B. Petiole sheath: 145A, flushed with 182A. Cataphyll,upper surface: 182C. Cataphyll, lower surface: 178C.

Inflorescence description:

Inflorescence arrangement.—When developing, the spathe is tightly rolledaround the spadix and emerges from the petiole sheath. The spathe isfully opened approximately when the peduncle is fully elongated. Spatheswith spadices held among and above the foliage on straight wirypeduncles and open vertically. Inflorescences are typically grouped inthe center of the plant. Freely and continuous flowering year-round;about nine open inflorescences and about four flower buds per plant atone time.

Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color andsubstance on the plant for at least eight weeks. As cut flowers,inflorescences maintain good color and substance for about two to threeweeks. Inflorescences persistent.

Time to flower.—First flowers develop about seven months after planting20-week old rooted plants.

Spathe.—Length: About 7.5 to 8.8 cm. Width: About 5.6 to 6.6 cm. Shape:Ovate. Apex: Cuspidate, terminated by a long curved apicula. Base:Cordate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Leathery;glabrous. Aspect: Initially cupped, flattening with development. Color:Fully opened, front surface: Closest to, but more pink than 47A. Fullyopened, back surface: 5IA to 51B. Faded, front and back surfaces: 48B to48C, streaked with 147A; apicula, 145A.

Spadix.—Length: About 4.6 to 5.9 cm. Diameter: About 7.5 mm. Shape:Columnar. Cross section: Rounded. Longitudinal axis: Erect. Color: Whenthe spathe unrolls, the spadix is closest to, but lighter than 158B,becoming 150D at the apex. When the spathe is fully open, the spadixchanges color to 69B, becoming closest to, but lighter than 180D at theapex. When the spathe has faded, spadix becomes 147C, tinged wth 173C.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anthers and filaments are minute andnot clearly visible. Pollen, white in color, close to 155D. Gynoecium:Pistils are translucent white and protrude between the staminate flowersand extend about 0.5 mm beyond the stamens.

Scape.—Length: About 50 to 59 cm. Aspect: Strong and erect, wiry. Color:147B, flushed with 183B.

Fruit.—Shape: Oblong to elliptic. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3mm. Color: 144A, tinged with 20D when ripe; flesh, translucentyellow/orange, 22D.

Seed.—Quantity per fruit: One or two. Quantity per inflorescence: About150. Shape: Elliptic, often somewhat flattened. Length: About 3 mm.Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 145B.

Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial conditions, plants of the newAnthurium have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pestscommon to Anthurium.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Anthurium have been observed tobe tolerant to temperatures ranging from 7 to 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named‘Misty Rose’, as illustrated and described.